Both athletes retain their senior titles at a rainy Teardrop Lakes

Mahamed Mahamed made it three wins in succession at a rainswept Teardrop Lakes, when he burst away from a group of four near the end of the third lap of the senior men’s race to improve on his opening British Athletics Cross Challenge second place.

Early morning good weather had given way to rain by the time that the senior races began with the women’s race.

There, it was Kate Avery who came out on top as Amy Griffiths and Bronwen Owen followed as Emily Hosker-Thornhill, fastest in the mud at Mansfield the previous week, was also in contention.

The Aldershot runner was a late entry here but had an unlucky time as she twisted an ankle before trailing in fourth.

Avery and Griffiths are training partners at Loughborough and treated the early exchanges as a bit of a regular training, albeit  an intense outing.

The men’s race was steady at the start with a group of 20 or so at the head of the field on the first small lap, with Mahamed jogging along near the back of the pack.

It began to break on the second lap before four got away. Along with the Southampton runner were Sam Stabler and Jack Gray, who both had good outings at Mansfield, and surprise packet Tom Evans.

The Lewes runner is acknowledged as an ultra distance trail specialist after just three years running.

Stabler had to take avoiding action as a back marker hindered his passage on the last lap but finally it was Mahamed’s speed that saw victory over Stabler and Evans as Gray took fourth.

Earlier, Mahamed’s brother Zakariya had missed the start of the U20/U17 race which was marred by the leaders being temporally sent the wrong way before Matt Willis made the most of his luck in not losing as much as original leader Joe Wigfield, to take the race.

The junior women’s event saw Eloise Walker take the race as fourth-placed Kirsten Stilwell took the U17 plaudits.

Kiya Dee and Chris Perkins won the U15 races, while U13 victories were claimed by Zoe Gilbody and Alden Collier. Raphie London and Elsie Jacobs won the U11 races.